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We did a similar but longer trip last February. The first thing to say is that it was a super trip and everyone thoroughly enjoyed it. As for tips:

The recommended 4 season sleeping bag was just a complete niusance - takes up a lot of suitcase and is difficult to carry around. Admittedly the temperature when we were there was about 6 - 7 C, but the tent material is thick, almost carpet like, and we were given lovely thick blankets. We weer all cosy and no-one used the bags.

Make sure that the saddle (?) on your camel is properly tight and get help if you feel you are slipping to one side. I almost fell off. One other did.

Food is very good but tagines can be a bit monotonous.

We found we needed rather more cash than suggested in the notes - though the notes may have changed by now.

ATMs are a bit hit or miss. If one rejects your card, just try another.

If you go exploring the souks on your own, GPS on your phone will help you find your way back. The Viewranger app is good. Download the maps before you go - wi-fi can also be a bit hit or miss.

We did a similar but longer trip last February. The first thing to say is that it was a super trip and everyone thoroughly enjoyed it. As for tips:

The recommended 4 season sleeping bag was just a complete nuisance - takes up a lot of suitcase and is difficult to carry around. Admittedly the temperature when we were there was about 6 - 7 C, but the tent material is thick, almost carpet like, and we were given lovely thick blankets. We were all cosy and no-one used the bags.

Make sure that the saddle (?) on your camel is properly tight and get help if you feel you are slipping to one side. I almost fell off. One other did.

Food is very good but tagines can be a bit monotonous.

We found we needed rather more cash than suggested in the notes - though the notes may have changed by now.

ATMs are a bit hit or miss. If one rejects your card, just try another.

If you go exploring the souks on your own, GPS on your phone will help you find your way back. The Viewranger app is good. Download the maps before you go - wi-fi can also be a bit hit or miss.

Your suitcase will go in the back of the bus or on the back of a donkey on the walk up to Tijhza. It won't go on the back of a camel, so you will need a rucksack to carry overnight stuff into the desert.

So if one takes a sleeping bag, it has to go in your luggage that you can carry on the camel! They really should let us know in advance when overnight bags are needed on trips. Getting very close to going now!

You are on a different trip from ours but I assume the arrangements are the same. You will surely have a daysack with you and that is all you will need for the desert - pyjamas, minimal toiletries, camera, torch, water bottle. The daysack and sleeping bag can be strapped separately to the camel's saddle in front of you. You may emerge from the desert pretty scruffy, but there will be facilities to shower and change before you move on to the next place.

The sleeping bag is a real nuisance when it comes to packing. Squash it in your case, then take it out on the first night and store it in the back of the bus until you need it - that way you don't have to squash it in every night. Your daysack can go in the bus with you, either on the floor or on the overhead rack.

we are on the 14 nights tour and I have found the info re cases / luggage from the tour company is very light compared to info given from other tour companies prior to departure.Hopefully it will all fall into place and be a great tour .

Hi Susan, I did this trip a couple of years ago, I recommend taking a good sleeping bag, as it gets very cold in the mountain gite, I used a season 3 bag and still used a number of blankets to keep warm, it tends to be colder if it’s a clear night, but the views of the sky makes it worth getting cold, enjoy your trip, Peter

We were on the 14 day trip and I assumed the 7 day trip was just a cut down version. For us, sleeping bags were only suggested for the desert and, as I've said, we found them quite unnecessary. The place we stayed at in the mountains had normal beds with adequate covers.

The original tour info we received advised that a sleeping bag and pillow is required for the desert night

for the Feb/March tour.

The final info we received said nothing about taking sleeping bags,pillows for the Feb /March tour and also I contacted the Melbourne office who advised no sleeping bag is required so I presume pillows are not required.Hopefully this will help if people are confused.

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